BOOST Collaborative – Kristin Stayer
“Imagine a table full of a diverse range of vegetables and herbs, including chilies, okra, lemongrass, Swiss chard, gourds, figs, and persimmon. Gardens are places where students can experience all of their senses and be connected to the global world through the natural resources of earth. Gardens, and the people in the community near your garden, are an incredible asset to schools and afterschool programs…A study from Rutgers Cooperative Extension, “Learning Through the Garden,” shows that gardens can function as living laboratories, and students who participate in gardening have a considerable increase in grade point average, utilize new learning styles, and develop their perspectives and ways of learning to incorporate critical 21st century skills like “curiosity, flexibility, open-mindedness, informed skepticism, creativity, and critical thinking.””(more)